A recent NBC Olympics advertisement featuring the Canadian singer Tate McRae sparked quick criticism following its release by both the artist and NBC on Wednesday. The ad shows McRae in a wintry setting, seeking help from an owl to reach Milan for the opening ceremony, not to meet Team Canada, but Team USA instead.
In the commercial, McRae mentions the weekend highlighting America’s top figure skaters aiming for gold and Lindsey Vonn’s remarkable return. She also references returning to the U.S. for Super Bowl 60, while also promoting her latest single, “Nobody’s Girl.”
Canadian individuals expressed disappointment on social media over McRae, who hails from Calgary, endorsing the American team just after being named the top nominee at this year’s Juno Awards alongside Justin Bieber. Some questioned why McRae was backing Team USA, including posts from Toronto-based sports content creator Jordan Cicchelli and the independent media company Made in Canada.
In response to the backlash, McRae shared a childhood photo on Instagram holding a Canadian flag with the caption affirming her Canadian roots. A discussion on Virgin Radio Toronto’s TikTok account raised questions about McRae’s choice to celebrate American athletes instead of Canadian pride, leading to debates on her loyalty and motives.
While some fans viewed the ad negatively, others supported it as a positive career move for the singer. This incident mirrors a prior controversy in November when British artist Dua Lipa starred in an NBC Olympics ad endorsing American athletes Vonn, Liu, Shiffrin, and Kim.
CBC Music has sought comment from McRae’s team regarding the situation.